American 19th Century Songs

Presenter(s)

Andrew Williams

Abstract or Description

 Andrew Williams

Dr. Grymes

3/17/2025

Music History

Wade in the water is known as a black spiritual that is deeply rooted from the African American culture. It comes from the 19^th century American songs.  Wayfaring stranger is a white spiritual which interpretated as a spiritual Journey towards a heavenly home.

 This paper will discuss these two genres of Wade in The Water and Wayfaring Stranger. The significance of Wade in the Water was a freedom song during the Civil Rights Movement. It was used in religious settings as a baptismal song. It has transformed into other genres such as the concert spiritual and gospel. The spiritual song Wade in the Water is also known as an African American jubilee song meaning that it was created and first sung by enslaved blacks.  The message in song (escape in the river).

 The song Wayfaring Stranger is known to be a white spiritual. Which is a type of folksong that had originated in American revivalist that was active between 1740 and at the end of the 19^th century. The term comes from the biblical spiritual songs which includes the folk hymn, religious ballad and the camp meeting spiritual. Wayfaring Stranger comes from the Civil War Era American, folk gospel. It is a possibility that this song traveled to America with a German immigrant and was adopted into early Century American folk singing.

 In conclusion the goal of this essay is to learn how two important musical genres arose form very different American experiences.

Mentor

Dr. Grymes